Hydrocarbon washer for gas engines



Dec. 9, 9 4- 1,518,980

15. B. GISH HYDROCARBON WASHER FOR GAS ENGINES Filed May 2%}, 1920 2Sheets-Sheet 1 snow Mew Dec. 9. 1,924. 1,518,980

' D. B. GISH HYDROCARBON WASHER FOR GAS ENGINES I Filed May 28, 1920 2Sheets-Sheet 2 I i I L";

Z9 21 I v flaw fls0ZZi2 7'0PV6'//V y 1 L96 I h- I im I g3 I 64' vY Itgwaoime 1 I I M9775? (3f I l% 1/ I (llitouwq S Patented Dec. 9, 1924;.

UNITED STATES EATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL BRAILEY GISH, 0F WASHIIEGTON, DISTRICT OE COLUMBIA.

HYDROCABBON WASHER FOR GAS ENGINES.

Application filed May 28,

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, DANIEL BRAILEY Gisrr. a citizen of he United States,residing at WVashington, in the District of Columbia, have inventedcertain new and useful improvements in Hydrocarbon \Vashers for GasEngines, of which the following is a description, reference being had tothe accompanying drawing and to the figures of reference marked thereon.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in devices fortreating gasoline or other hydrocarbons as it passes from the supplytank to the carburetor.

An object of the invention is to provide 4 an apparatus for thoroughlywashing the hydrocarbon for removing all impurities, free carbon,sulphur, alumina, silica and the like from the hydrocarbon.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction whereinthe hydrocarbon is caused to pass in a finely divided state through abody of liquid on its way to the carburetor, whereby it is not onlywashed and freed from all impurities, but is also humidified or chargedto a certain extent with the liquid vapor in suspension, which vaporincreases the efficiency of combustion and reduces to a minimum thedeposit of carbon and soot in the cylinders.

These and other objects will in part be obvious and will in part behereinafter more fully disclosed.

In the drawings, which show by way of illustration one embodiment of theinvention:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through an apparatus embodying myimprovements;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view through the strainer support andthe suction reducing means through which the gasoline or hydrocarbonpasses from the receptacle to the vacuum tank or carburetor: and

3 is a view similar to Fig. 1. but showing a slightly modified form ofapparatus.

The invention consists broadly in providing an air-tight receptacle inwhich is maintained aliquid well, the level of which terminatessoinedistance below the top of the receptacle. I prefer to use waterwhich may have certain chemicals in solution to aid in the combustionand in reducing to a minimum tl' e carbon and soot deposits in thecylinders. The liquid used, however, must 1929- Serial No. 385.027.

be of greater specific gravity than the hydrocarbon, so as to separatetherefrom and maintain a well in the lower part of the receptacle. Thisliquid well will hereinaftci be termed a *ater well for descriptivepurposes. ltfleans is provided for introducing the gasoline orhydrocarbon into the water well adjacent the bottom thereof in a finely;divided state, so that as it bubbles or sprays up through the water welland accumulates in the receptacle above the water well. it will betl'ioroughly washed and all impurities removed therefrom, including theremoval of free carbon, sulphur and the like, which causes a carbon orsoot deposit in the engine cylinders and also eliminates carburetor andvacuum trouble. At the same time, the hydrocarbon bubbling up throughthe water takes up some of the water in the form of vapor in suspensionand is thus humidified. The hydrocarbon thus becomes charged to acertain extent with water vapor which aids very much the combustion ofthe hydro carbon in the cylinders. Means is provided when the receptacleis placed between the tank and the vacuum feed for reducing the suction,thus distributing the vacuum pull over a longer period of time, so thatthe hydrocarbon passes gradually into the water well, and thus can bemore finely divided which facilitates washing of the same and thecharging of the gasoline or hydrocarbon with water vapor in suspension.

Referring more in detail to the drawings. 1 have shown a receptacle 1which consists. as herein shown, of a glass cylinder 2. Thisglasscylinder, as shown in Fig. 1, is open at both ends. The lower endis closed by a 'base plate 3, which is formed with a recess in its upperface adapted to receive a cork or metal washer 4-, and also the edge ofthe glass cylinder. The upper end of the cylinder is closed by a topplate 5, which has a recess in its under face adapted to receive a corkor metal washer 6, and the upper edge of the glass cylinder. The top andbottom plates are secured together by means of bolts. any number ofwhich may be used, but I prefer to use three, two of which are indicatedin the drawings at 7 and 8. These bolts pass through suitable openingsin the top plate and also through suitable openings in the base platewhich are in alinement. Threaded on the lower end ofthe bolts 7 and 8are winged nuts 9. The bolt 7 is preferably provided with a sleeve 10against which the nut 51 bears. The top plate issecured to a bracketplate 11 by means of screws, one of which is indicated at 12 in thedrawings. Also secured to this bracket plate 11 is a projecting arm 13having an opening surrounding the rod 7, and this serves to steady thelower end of the receptacle. The bracket plate 11 is adapted to beattached to the body part of the automobile, preferably near the vacuumtank.

The gasoline or other hydrocarbon is led from the supply tank throughthe pipe 14, and this pipe 1 1 is connected to a short threaded sectionof pipe 15 threaded into the face plate 3 by the usual gas-tightclamping member 16. The upper end of the pipe section 15 is closed bymeans of a cap plate 17 which is provided with a series of openings1.5%. These openings are comparatively of small size and may be made insuitable number so as to linely divide the gasoline or hydrocarbon as itpasses into the receptacle. In the receptacle is placed water or someother suitable washing agent. which has a greater specific gravity thangasoline, so that it will separate from the gasoline by gravity. Thewater level is indicated in Fig. 1 by the line This water level issome'distance below the top of the receptacle and the gasoline bubblingup through the water well will accumulate in the recep tacle above thewater level. A pipe 18 leads from the receptacle to the vacuum tank.Threaded into a suitable opening in the top plate 5 is a pipe 19. Alsothreaded into the top plate 5 is a short pipe section 20 which carries ascreen retainer head 22 at the lower end. This screen retainer head isprovided with a wire mesh strainer 23 or with a chamois-skin andprevents drawing the water through into the engine in case the gasolinesupply gives out.

Secured to the lower end of the pipe section 20 is a cap plate 2 1through which are made suitable openings 25. These openings arerelatively small and serve as a means of breaking the vacuum ordistributing the time 01 pull, so as to prevent drawing the gasoline toorapidly from the supply tank.

These openings may be increased in size or number, as desired, andthereby regulate the low of gasoline into the receptacle 1. Twoobjectsare obtained by this regulation of the flow of gasoline or otherhydrocarbon: First the flow of gasoline into the receptacle is very muchslower and is more finely divided so that it is thoroughly washed andcharged with the water vapor in suspension, and second, the quantity ofgasoline drawn through at a given time is also regulated, and thisenables the apparatus to be set by determining the size of theseopenings so that a motor truck, for example, cannot be driven above afixed speed, say fifteen, sixteen or twenty miles per hour. If thisspeed is exceeded, then the supply of gasoline in the tank is quicklyexhausted, in the case of vacuum.

As a means for drawing off the Water well when it becomes lilledwithslime and dirt and replenishing the same, I have provided a pet-cock 26which is threaded into an opening through the base plate 5. I have alsoprovided an opening 21' in the top plate which may be closed by asuitable winged plug 29. By removing the plug 29 and opening thepet-cock 26, the water may be drawn oil and a new supply provided.

In addition to washing the gasoline and lnimiditying the gasoline orcharging the same with a water vapor, I may also charge the water withchemicals that will pass with the water vapor in suspension in thegasoline into the engine and thus increase the efficiency of combustionand reduce to a minimum the carbon or soot deposit in the enginecylinders.

Located in the pipe 14 and between the receptacle 1 and the supplytankis a check valve 30 which is otthe well-known type, and this checkvalve operates toprevent water from draining or siphoning back into thetank. I

In Fig. 3 of the drawings, I have shown a slightly modified form of theinvention. In this form of the invention thev glass cylinder 2 in theform of a a1" having the lower end thereof closed by an integral glasssection 31. The top plate 5, together with. the pipe 19, its connectionto the top plate, and the strainer head 22 are of the: sameconstruction. as described above in detail in connection with Fig. 1.The bottom plate 3 is similar in construction so far as supporting;

the lower end of the receptacle 2 is concerned, but this plate. isimperiorate. The receptacle is secured in this instance by two brackets32 and 33. Thebracket 32 use tached to the top plate, while the bracket33 has an opening through which the clamping rod or bolt 7 passes. Themain distinction between this embodiment of the invention and thatcontained in, Fig. 1 consists in the leading of the gasoline orhydrocarbon into the receptacle 2. In this'instance there is a pipe 34:which is threaded into the top plate 5 and extends downward into thereceptacle to a point adjacent the bottom of the recep tacle 2. At thelower end of the pipe there is an elbow and a short length of pipe 36which extends horizontally and is provided with small openings 37through which the gasoline passes into the water well.

A pipe 38 leads to the supply tank and is.

provided with a check valve similarin construct-ion to that shown in.Fig. 1. The water is removed and replenished in this embodiment of theinvention by detaching the winged nuts and removing the receptacle,

lUO

after which it is emptied and then replaced and clamped in the positionshown in the drawings.

lVhile I have shown the receptacle as placed in the line between thesupply tank and the vacuum tank, it will be understood, of course, thatit may be placed between the vacuum tank and the carburetor, if desired,but by placing it as shown and described the gasoline passing into thevacuum tank is previously washed and all impurities, dirt and slimeremoved therefrom, and this keeps the vacuum tank very clean andincreases the efliciency of the operation of the same. lVhile I havedescribed my apparatus as applied to a vacuum feed system, it will alsobe understood that it may be readily applied to a gravity pressure andforce feed system, in which case the gasoline will, of course, becarried into the receptacle by gravity and fed from the receptacle tothe carburetor also by gravity.

The process of humidifying or charging the gasoline or other hydrocarbonwith water vapor on its way to the carburetor forms no partof thepresent invention, but is described and claimed in my Patent Number1,373,720.

It is: obvious that minor changes in the details of construction and thearrangementof parts may be made without departing from the spirit of theinvention as set forth in the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new. is

An apparatus for treating hydrocarbon as it passes from the supply tankto the cylinders of a gas engine including a glass cylinder, a top plateadapted to close the upper end of said cylinder, a. bottom plate adaptedto close the lower end of said cylinder, a water well in said receptacleterminating at a distance below the top thereof, means for introducingthe hydrocarbon into the receptacle through the bottom plate in a finelydivided state whereby it is caused to bubble up through the water welland to be washed and charged wit-h water vapor in suspension, a pipeconnected with the receptacle above the water level for drawing off thegasoline and, supplying the carburetor, and a perforated cap for saidpipe for distributing the time of the drawing pull on the gasoline.

In testimony whereof, I affix my si nature.

DANIEL BRAILEY ISH.

